Celebrities fuming over U.S. Senate gun control rejections

Hollywood A-listers have taken to social media to express their upset after politicians in the United States Senate rejected new gun control proposals on Monday (20Jun16).

Just over a week after a crazed shooter claimed nearly 50 lives at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida on Sunday 12 June (16), four measures created to toughen up firearms sales laws were put before U.S. Senate representatives for review, but to no avail, and singer John Legend is fed up with what he perceives to be slow-moving progress.

"The foolishness and heartlessness coming from our Congress re: gun control is not surprising, but still so very disappointing and shameful," he wrote on his Twitter account in the first of a series of messages on the matter.

Addressing U.S. Senate politicians, Legend continued: "You don't get to talk 'tough on terror' if you're too afraid of the NRA (National Rifle Association) to do anything about guns. You're a coward."

The Glory musician then implored American fans to initiate change by casting their ballots in the U.S. presidential election on 8 November (16), writing: "We have to vote the GOP (the Republican party) out of leadership of both House & Senate to get anything done on guns. Please vote in November."

Legend isn't the only celebrity who is angered by the political news, with former Glee actor Kevin McHale following suit by tweeting: "Wtf is going on. 49 people were murdered a week ago and had this been the law, he wouldn't have been able 2 buy guns How can anyone sit there and vote AGAINST this?! I'm embarrassed and ashamed that we let these a**holes do nothing and not protect us."

Mia Farrow, Billy Eichner, Kristin Davis and many others also expressed their grief over the U.S. Senate decision.

Each gun control proposal needed 60 signatures to transform into a bill that could be written into federal law. The four rejected measures proposed instituting new policies that would improve the background check system for people who purchase guns and deny those who are suspected of being a terrorist threat from buying a firearm.